Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-07-27
totid he took away the light and replaced it on

-SO you say you 81" IL dll w Gil, IL IluSI
have shown you that was in earnest. The
old man took it well, did he not? He is a
brave man and respect him. fancy that
he will not move muscle at the last. That
comes Of English blood, you see. 1t is the
best in the world, and I am proud to have it
In my veins"
aCannot you stop torturing me and say
what you have to say2" asked Bessie.
,s&aI had no wish to torture you but If you
Ike will come t6 the point. 1t is this. Will
you now consent to marry ME tomorrow
morning at sun up, or am I to be forced to
carry the sentence on your old uncle into
eRectl"
NJ will not. will not. hate you and
defy you"
MULLER looked at her coldly, and then drew
his pocketbook from his pocket and extracted
from it the death warrant and o pencil
sLook, Bessie" he said. "This is your
uncle's death warrant At present it is value
less and informal, for have not yet signed,
though, as you will see, have been careful
that everybody else should. If once place
ny signature there it cannot be revoked and
the sentence must be carried into effect. If
ygu psrzist in your refusal will sign 1t be-
B'foksyouf eyes" and he placed the paper on
the book and took the pencil in his right
hand
@Oh, you cannot, you cannot be such a
fiend," walled the wretched woman, wripging
her hands
II assure you you are mistaken. both can
and will. I have gone too far to turn back
for the sake of one old Englishman Listen,
Bessie Your lover Mel is dead, that you
know"
Here jess behind the wall felt inclined to
Try out ut is lie!" but, remembering the
absolute necessity Of silence, checked herself.
"And, what is more" went OH Muller,
''your sister jess is dead too; she died two
days ago."
"Jess dead! jess dead! 1t is not true.
How do you know that she is dead?"
"Never mind will tell you when we are
married. She is dead, and except for your
uncle you are alone i'll the world. If you per-
sist in this he will soon be dead too and his
blood will be upon your head, for you will
have murdered him."
"And if I were to say yes, how would that
help him?" she cried, wildly. ale is con-
demned by your court martial-you would
only deceive me and murder him after all."
"On my honor, no. Before the marriage I
will give this warrant to the pastor, and lie
shall burn it as soon Us the service is said.
But, Bessie, don't you see that those fools who
tried your uncle are only like clay III my
handss I can bend them this way and that,
and whatever the song sing they will echo
il. They do not wish to shoot your uncle.
and will be glad, indeed, to get out Of it.
Your uncle shall 60 in safety to Natal, or
stay here if he wills. His property shall be
secured for him, and compensation paid for
the burning of his house. swear it before
God"
She looked up at him, and he could see that
she was inclined to believe him.
ut is true, Bessie, it is true--I will rebuild
tho place myself, and if I can find the man
who fired it he shall be shot. Come, listen to
me, and be reasonable. The man you loved
is dead, and no amount of signing can bring
him to your arms alone am left--I, who
love you better than life, better than man
ever loved IL woman before Look at me, am
I not q proper man for any maid to wed,
though l be balf 'Boer? And have the
brains, too, Bessie, the brains that shall make
us both great We were made for each other
Il have known it for years, and slowly,
slowly, have worked my way to you till at
last you are in my reach," and he stretched
out both his arms toward her,
"My darling" he went OIL, i'll soft, half
dreamy voice, "my love and my desire, yield,
now-yield! Do not force this new crime
Upon me. I want to grow good for your sake,
ana have done with bloodshed When you
are my wife believe that the evil will 60
out of me, and I shall grow good Yield, and
never shall woman have had such husband
Us will be to you. 1 will make your life
soft and beautiful to you as women love life
to be- You shall have everything that money
can buy and power bring. Yield for yeur
uncle's sake, and for the sake Of the great
love bear YOU"
As he spoke he was slowly drawing nearer
Bessie, whose face wore half fascinated ex-
preston. As he camo the wretched woman
gathered herself together and put out her
hand to repulse him. "No. no" she cried, Il
hate you'll cannot be false to him, living or
dead. shall kill myself know shall"
He made no answer, but simply came
always nearer, till at last his strong arms
closed round her shrinking form and drow
her to him as easily as though sho wero
babe. And then all at once she seemed to
yield. That embrace was tho outward sign
Of his cruel mastery, and she struggled 10
InoNs, mentally or physically.
"Will you marry me, darling-will you
marry me?' he whispered, with his lips so
close to tho golden curls that jess, stralnlis
her ears outside, could only just catch tho
words:
"Oh, I suppose So but shall die-it will
kill me-"
He strained her to his heart and kissed her
beautiful face again and again. and next mo
ment jess heard tho footsteps Of tho return
ing sentry aud saw him leave go Of her.
Jantje, too, caught her by the hand and
dragged her away from tho wall, and i'll ten
seconds more she was once moro ascending
the hillside toward the Hottcntot's kennel.
She had gone to find out how matters lay,
and she had, indeed, found out. To attempt
to portray the fury, the indignation and the
thirst to be avenged upon tho fiend who had
attempted to murder her and her lover, and
had bought her dear sisters honor at the
price Of her innocent old uncles life, would
be impossible All her weariness was forgot
ten; she was mad with what she had seen and
heard, VITA the knowledge of what had been
even forget her passion i'll it, and sworc that
Muller should never marry Bessie while she
lived to prevent it. Had she been bad
woman she might have seen herein an oppor-
tunity, for Bessie once married to Muller.
John would be free to marry her, but tue
idea never even entered her mind. What
ever Jess errors may have been, she was
self sacrificing, honorable woman, and would
have died rather than take such an advan-
tage. Presently they reached the shelter
again and crept in.
"Lght CANDLE" said jess.
Jantie fumbled about and finally struck
match. The bit of candle they had been
using, however, was nearly burned ont, so
from the rubbish in the corner be produced
box full Of "ends," some Of them three or
four inches long. Jess, in that queer sort Of
way in which triaes do strike us when the
mind is undergoing a severe strain, instantly
remembered that for years she had been ull-
able to discover what became Of the odd
pieces of the candles used in the house.. Now
tho mystery was explained.
"Now go outside and leave me. I want to
think"
The Hottentot obeyed, and, seated there
upon the heap Of skins, her forehead resting
un her hand and her fingers run through her
silky hair, now wet with the rain, she began
to review the position. 1t was evident to her
that Frank Muller would be as good as his
word. She knew him too well to doubt it for
moment If Bessie did not marry him he
would murder the old man, as he had tried to
A. 4.